MTA Inc.: providing Internet, TV and telephone access to rural Alaskans.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: Top 49ers Spotlight: Superheroes of Success

As the first communications company to provide telephone service north of Anchorage, MTA has long been known for its ability to push the limits of technology to bring services to its members. Covering a geographical area of more than 10,000 square miles, the Alaskan-owned cooperative is continuing in its quest to provide residents in the state's more out-of-the-way areas with the most advanced telephone, Internet and television services available.

Established in 1953, this Top 49er company serves members from Eagle River and Tyonek to Clear Air Force Base outside Anderson to the Matanuska Susitna Valley. It provides local, wireless, long distance, business, Internet, digital TV, directory and television advertising and TechExpress IT Business Support.

"As a cooperative, MTA operates under a business model completely different from our competitors--our customers are our owners," says Chief Executive Officer Greg Berberich. "MTA is a nonprofit association, run for the benefit of our member/owners so that members can receive state-of-the-art, high quality products and services at a competitive price.

"We are guided by community values rather than stock market reports, and these values held us steady throughout the economic turmoil which shook the foundations of so many businesses across the country and around the globe," he added.

In 2010, the company earned $106 million in revenue, and invested nearly $20 million in expanding and maintaining its network. MTA employs 387 people with an annual payroll of $26 million, and additionally spent more than $19 million with local and Alaskan vendors.

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"We do not provide dividends, however, when we have positive margins we do return money to our members in the form of capital credits," said Berberich of how the cooperative works. "This past year alone, we distributed more than $2.6 million in capital credits to our member/owners, all while reducing our long-term debt."

KEEPING ABREAST OF TECHNOLOGY

Despite living in some of the state's more rural areas, MTA members still receive cutting-edge services from Alaska's technology leader. "MTA has always embraced the challenges of serving our members in very rural, high-cost areas and continues to bring innovation and advanced services to as many of our members as is feasible," said Berberich. "Our broadband network reaches 98 percent of our customers, and we have expanded our fiber backbone and leveraged the capability of our copper...